A Welcome Note from the 2013 Season Drum Majors

Hello everyone! We are Austin Anderson and Katie Demyan and we are honored to be serving as your Drum Majors for the 2013 season of the Pride of West Virginia - the Mountaineer Marching Band!

Hello! I'm Tyler Cooper and I'm Shelby Chapman, and we are your friendly neighborhood Assistant Drum Majors. This is a brand new position, and with both of us starting our first year as a part of the Drum Major Team, we are excited to pave the way with many fresh and exciting ideas. We know most of you have probably been wondering what the Assistant Drum Major position is going to entail. In a nutshell we are ¾ drum major and¼ super rank leader. We will be a resource when setting drill, helping to relay instructions from the staff to you, but primarily will be conducting on the sidelines. With two more sets of hands, we hope to improve the sound of the band and provide clarity during practices and performances. Think of us as a step closer to you, so feel free to ask us for help at any time!

The four of us are super excited for this upcoming year and can't wait to start working with all of you! We have many new things planned for you and we hope we can make your time with the Pride of West Virginia the best it possibly can be and help you leave a positive impact on our band, university, and state for years to come.

Our nickname "The Pride of West Virginia" is not something that is taken for granted. This is a title that arose from the dedication to excellence that thousands of band members before us have exhibited. The 112th season, just as every season before it, will be an opportunity to re-earn this title and contribute to the reputation that our band enjoys as one of the premiere collegiate bands in the nation.

Before we go we'd like to leave you with our motto:Every Step, Every Note, Every Member, Every Time! This phrase guides us in all that we do not only in our performances, but our practices as well. When things get tough, make sure you can say that you couldn't have done any better and that you gave it your all. Do that, and each time that you pick up your instrument, flag, or baton will instill a sense of PRIDE in you!